AU2004202634A1

AU2004202634A1 - Restraint system for a driver of a vehicle

Info

Publication number: AU2004202634A1
Application number: AU2004202634A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Hans Sauemann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-06-16
Filing date: 2004-06-16
Publication date: 2005-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 2024-06-16
Also published as: AU2004202634B2; EP1488962A1; DE20309391U1; EP1488962B1; DE502004000063D1; ATE304466T1

Abstract

A fork lift truck (1) has a driver's seat within an open-sided overhead protective frame. The driver's position is protected by a side-bar which can swivel (10) vertically between a vertical non-operational position and a horizontal protective position. The side-bar (9) can also esp. swivel (12) about a vertical axis between the horizontal position in-line with the direction of travel, and a third position which is horizontal and transverse to the direction of travel.

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: Name of Applicant: Hans Sauermann Actual Inventor(s): Hans Sauermann Address for Service and Correspondence: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Invention Title: RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR A DRIVER OF A VEHICLE Our Ref: 721425 POF Code: 466626/466627 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): -1- 6006q 1A Restraint system for a driver of a vehicle The invention relates to a restraint system for a driver of a vehicle, in particular an industrial truck, according to the precharacterizing clause of Patent Claim 1.

EP 1 145 919 A2 discloses a restraint system for a vehicle which is formed by protective brackets arranged laterally beside the driver's seat. This protective bracket can be pivoted, by means of a shaft running transversely with respect to the longitudinal extent of the vehicle, between a vertical release position and a horizontal restraint position. This restraint system has proven to be good in practice, since it protects the driver sufficiently well against severe injuries, especially if the vehicle tips over.

The invention is based on the object of providing a restraint system of the type mentioned at the beginning which ensures good protection of the driver if the vehicle tips over, the intention being for the restraint system not to impede maintenance of the vehicle.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features of Patent Claim 1.

The restraint system according to Claim 1 has at least one protective bracket arranged laterally beside the driver's seat, which can be pivoted about a shaft between an approximately vertical release position and an approximately horizontal restraint position. In the 2 release position, the driver can enter and leave the vehicle without impedance from the protective bracket, which is important in particular when space is restricted, such as in warehouses. In addition, in this way there is no risk that the driver will feel impeded by the restraint system, so that the restraint system has a sufficiently high acceptance by the driver and is not simply dismantled by the latter. In the restraint position, the protective bracket is preferably located in the hip region of the driver and extends over at least half of the driver's seat, in order to ensure sufficient protection for the driver if the vehicle tips over. In particular in the case of very small stackers, there is the problem that there is only a very restricted amount of space available for the driver. In order not to endanger the acceptance of the restraint system by the driver, in this case the protective bracket is preferably provided in the region between the vehicle spars. In this case, over its entire pivoting range, the protective bracket is located between the spars of the vehicle. For maintenance purposes, however, the bonnet of the vehicle, which is normally located under the driver's seat, has to be opened. Only in this way can necessary maintenance work, such as the charging of a battery or the cleaning of a radiator, be performed. If the protective brackets are located in the region between the spars of the vehicle, however, these strike the spars when the bonnet is opened, so that the bonnet can no longer be opened completely. In order to solve this problem, the protective bracket can additionally be pivoted about an approximately vertical axis and/or is supported such that it can be displaced transversely with respect to the vehicle. In this case, the protective bracket is pivoted between a guard position orientated approximately longitudinally with respect to the vehicle and a maintenance position aligned approximately transversely with respect to the vehicle.

In this case, it does not matter whether the protective 3 bracket is pivoted outwards or inwards towards the driver's seat. It is ensured in any case that the protective bracket, irrespective of its pivoted position about the horizontal axis, is spaced sufficiently far away from the spars of the vehicle in order to prevent striking these. The bonnet of the vehicle can therefore be opened without difficulty without previously having to dismantle the restraint system.

In order to ensure a sufficient protective action of the restraint system, according to Claim 2 it is advantageous if the protective bracket can be locked in the guard position. This locking means that, during travel with the vehicle, the driver is secured adequately by the protective bracket. Inadvertent pivoting of the protective bracket into the maintenance position is reliably prevented by the locking of the protective bracket.

In order to lock the protective bracket in the guard position, according to Claim 3 a displaceable locking pin has proven to be worthwhile. This locking pin engages in a recess which is mounted on a part which is itself a fixed to the vehicle or to the protective bracket. In order to achieve the situation where the locking pin in principle remains in its locking position, it is spring-biased towards the recess.

According to Claim 4, it is beneficial if the locking pin is conical. In this way, the locking pin automatically repositions itself if material has been abraded from its surface as a result of wear phenomena.

In this way, play-free locking of the bracket is ensured.

According to Claim 5, it is advantageous if the recess is provided in a locking plate which is equipped with an insertion bevel. This insertion bevel presses the 4 locking pin back counter to the spring force, so that, as the protective bracket is transferred into the guard position, said locking pin automatically engages in the aperture and locks the protective bracket.

In the case of particularly small vehicles, the space required for accommodating the restraint system is often not available in the region of the driver's seat.

In this case, according to Claim 6, it is beneficial if the protective bracket is held in a clamping manner on a vehicle spar. In particular, thought is then given to having clamping parts engaging around the vehicle spar, so that drilling the vehicle spar and therefore weakening the same can be dispensed with.

In order not to restrict the space available to the driver in the case of small vehicles unnecessarily, according to Claim 7 it is beneficial if the protective bracket is aligned approximately flush with spar. In this way, the protective bracket can still fulfil its protective function sufficiently, since the driver is still restrained within the spars of the vehicle by the protective bracket.

When space is restricted in the vehicle, according to Claim 8 it is advantageous if the protective bracket is angled outwards from its attachment to its free end.

In this way, the attachment of the protective bracket with the necessary adjusting mechanism can be accommodated comfortably in the interior of the vehicle cab, while the protective bracket can be aligned flush with the spars as a result of being angled over.

In order to prevent the driver operating the vehicle while the protective bracket is in the maintenance position, according to Claim 9 it is beneficial if the protective bracket or the locking pin is assigned at least one sensor or switch. The latter registers the position of the protective bracket and passes this 5 information on to a separate monitoring apparatus.

This monitoring apparatus permits vehicle operation only when the protective bracket is in the guard position. In particular, thought is given to the monitoring apparatus permitting the operation of the vehicle only when the protective bracket is in the guard position and the restraint position, in order to protect the driver in an optimum manner.

The subject of the invention will be explained by way of example using the drawing, without restricting the protective scope.

In the drawing: Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of an industrial truck, Figure 2 shows a rear view of a first embodiment of a protective bracket, Figure 3 shows a side view of a second embodiment of a protective bracket and Figure 4 shows an associated view of the protective bracket according to Figure 3 from above.

Figure 1 shows an industrial truck 1, in particular a fork-lift truck 1 which has a lifting mechanism 2, in schematic form. Provided on the industrial truck 1 is an open cab 3, which is formed by four spars 4 oriented substantially upwards and a roof construction Accommodated on a bonnet 6 is a driver's seat 7, to which a restraint system 8 is assigned laterally. This restraint system 8 has protective brackets 9 which are arranged on both sides of the driver's seat 7 and which can be pivoted about a shaft 10 between a restraint position, illustrated, and a release position, indicated dashed. Provided in the region of the shaft is a mechanism for adjusting and locking the protective bracket 8.

6 The bonnet 6 is opened by being pivoted about the pivoting bearing 11 in order to be able to carry out maintenance work in the industrial truck 1. In the case of small industrial trucks 1 it can occur that the protective bracket 8 strikes the spar 4 at the back or the roof construction 5 when the bonnet 6 is opened.

In order to prevent this, the protective bracket 8 can additionally be pivoted about a vertical axis 12.

The pivoting mounting of the protective bracket 8 will be explained in more detail using Figure 2. Supported on the spar 4 is a clamping apparatus 13, which carries the protective bracket 8. This clamping apparatus 13 comprises two jaws 14 which can be clamped against each other and engage around the spar 4.

Supported on the clamping apparatus 13 is a rotary joint 15, which forms the vertical pivot axis 12.

Supported on this rotary joint 15 is a U-shaped holder 16 which has a pivoting mechanism 17 which drives the shaft 10. This pivoting mechanism 17 ensures that the protective bracket 8 can be pivoted about a pivot axis 18 aligned transversely with respect to the vehicle.

In order to lock the protective bracket 8 in the guard position, not illustrated, a locking pin 19 is provided. This locking pin 19 is displaceably mounted in the U-shaped holder 16 and is spring-biased downwards. Provided on the clamping apparatus 13 is a locking plate 20 which is provided with a hole 21. Both the locking pin 19 and the hole 21 are conical, in order to effect accurately fitting locking of the holder 16. The locking plate 20 additionally has an insertion bevel 22, which has the effect of forcing the locking pin 19 back as the protective bracket 8 is transferred into the guard position.

The associated illustrations according to Figures 3 and 4 show an alternative embodiment of the protective bracket 8. The protective bracket 8 has a, restraining 7 section 23 which is formed by a bent tube. This restraining section 23 is arranged in the industrial truck 1 in such a way that it is located between the spars 4 of the industrial truck 1. The restraining section 23 is adjoined by an angled-over portion 24, which connects the restraining section 23 to an attachment section 25. In this attachment section the protective bracket 8 is connected to the pivoting mechanism 17. The angled-over portion 24 is formed in such a way that the attachment section 25 is located within the cab 3 of the industrial truck 1, while the restraining section 23 comes to lie between the spars 4.

Provided in the region of the angled-over portion 24 is a rotary joint 26, which permits additional pivoting of the protective bracket 8 about the vertical axis 12.

This rotary joint 26 is locked by the locking pin 19, which is fixed in the attachment section 25 such that it can be displaced and is sprung.

8 List of reference numbers 1 Industrial truck 2 Lifting mechanism 3 Cab 4 Spar Roof construction 6 Bonnet 7 Driver's seat 8 Restraint system 9 Protective bracket Shaft 11 Pivoting bearing 12 Axis 13 Clamping apparatus 14 Jaw Rotary joint 16 Holder 17 Pivoting mechanism 18 Pivot axis 19 Locking pin Locking plate 21 Hole 22 Insertion bevel 23 Restraining section 24 Angled-over portion Attachment section 26 Rotary joint

Claims

1. Restraint system for a driver of a vehicle in particular an industrial truck which has at least one driver's seat the restraint system being formed by at least one protective bracket which is arranged laterally beside the driver's seat and can be pivoted, by a horizontal shaft (10) running transversely with respect to the longitudinal extent of the vehicle, from an approximately vertical release position into an approximately horizontal restraint position, characterized in that the protective bracket can be adjusted between a guard position oriented approximately longitudinally with respect to the vehicle and a maintenance position transverse with respect to the vehicle

2. Restraint system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the protective bracket (9) can be locked in the guard position.

3. Restraint system according to Claim 2, characterized in that the protective bracket (9) is assigned at least one adjustable locking pin which engages in a recess (21) which is fixed to the vehicle or protective bracket, and is spring-biased towards the said recess.

4. Restraint system according to Claim 3, characterized in that the locking pin (19) is conical.

5. Restraint system according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the recess (21) is provided in a locking plate which is equipped with an insertion bevel (22). 10

6. Restraint system according to at least one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the protective bracket is held in a clamping manner on a vehicle spar (4)

7. Restraint system according to Claim 6, characterized in that the protective bracket (9) is aligned approximately flush with the spar (4)

8. Restraint system according to at least one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the protective bracket is angled outwards from its attachment (25) to its free end (23)

9. Restraint system according to at least one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the protective bracket and/or the locking pin (19) is assigned at least one sensor and/or switch, which is operatively connected to a monitoring apparatus which permits operation of the vehicle only when the protective bracket is in the guard position. DATED: 16 June 2004 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK ATTORNEYS FOR: HANS SAIERMANN